I am watching a YouTube video to try to do my first particle system. the video first has you create a sphere which is not a problem. but the person on the YouTube videos is able to change polygon sides. I don't see an option anywhere in the parameters.

I just kept it as a normal sphere because I really wanted to start playing with the POP network; but I don't even see that option anywhere when I hit Tab and start typing POP. In fact if I hit Tab and then type network, these are the options.

Am I missing something here? Really excited to start my first particle system.

I am using Houdini Apprentice 19.5.605. I would greatly appreciate a little guidance on starting a particle system!

You have to actually dive inside the sphere1 object (double-click on it) if you create it at /obj level. Take a closer look at your video screen shot and you'll see the sphere node exists inside of geo1.